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PIE Director elected prexy of Council of Program Heads and Educators of Economics Region 5

The Partido Institute of Economics (PIE), in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education - Regional Office V (CHEDRO5) and De La Salle University - School of Economics (DLSU-SOE), sponsored and organized three activities namely: Regional Training on Economic Research; Master in Applied Economics Offshore Program General Orientation; and Inception Meeting of Council of Program Heads and Educators of Economics Region 5 held on October 18, 2019 at Villa Rosita Hotel, Naga City.

Aside from representatives from Partido State University (PSU), there were also participants from the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU); Bicol University (BU); Catanduanes State University (CSU); Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA); Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT); Ligao Community College (LiComCo); Department of Education; Local Government Unit of Camarines Sur; Local Government Unit of Bula; and private sectors.

The objectives of the three-in-one activity were to: (a) update and retool the faculty of PSU and other higher education institutions in Bicol on recent and relevant economic research methods; (b) organize a regional council of economics program heads and faculty in the Bicol Region; (c) sign and exchange copies of the MOU between DLSU and PSU on the areas of instruction, research, extension, and related activities; (d) provide research ideas for the faculty of Partido State University; and (e) orient concerned faculty of PSU and other higher education institutions in Bicol on the proposed offering of DLSU Master in Applied Economics Offshore Program in PSU.

The first part of the Economic Research Training included the opening remarks of CHEDRO5 Education Supervisor II Karen Iniego, messages from PSU President Raul Bradecina, and DLSU SOE Dean Marites Tiongco, and ceremonial signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between DLSU and PSU. Ms. Iniego, who was representing CHEDRO5 Regional Director Freddie Bernal and Education Supervisor Christian Rivero, relayed the messages of Bernal and Rivero to the participants. Bernal and Rivero, according to Iniego, expressed their gratitude to DLSU and PSU for organizing the event and reminded all participants to work together in ensuring the improvement of the quality of higher education in Bicol. Dr. Tiongco, for her part, shared her excitement on their engagements with PSU and other HEIs in the region.

On the other hand, Dr. Bradecina thanked DLSU for its generosity and explained how partnerships like the one with DLSU would improve the quality not only of PSU education but also the life of the people of Partido and the rest of Bicol. He further emphasized the importance of capacitating PSU faculty through engagements with an institution with a culture of academic rigor and scholarship, such as DLSU.

After the messages and ceremonial signing of the MOU, there were plenary sessions on the fundamentals of research paper writing and research publication. The resource persons for such training sessions were DLSU SOE Assistant Dean for Graduate and Advanced Studies Alellie Sobreviñas and SOE Dean Tiongco, respectively. The active engagements between the resource persons and participants resulted in collaborative learning sessions.

In the afternoon, there were parallel training sessions on statistical learning, impact evaluation, dynamic stochastic general equilibrium, and valuation. Resource persons were Dr. Lawrence Dacuycuy, President of the Philippine Economic Society and Full Professor of DLSU SOE; Dr. Mitzie Conchada, SOE Associate Dean; Dr. Dickson Lim, SOE Graduate Program Coordinator; and Dr. Arlene Inocencio, Chairperson of the DLSU Economics Department. There were four participants in statistical learning, 12 in impact evaluation, eight in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium, and seven in valuation training.

The second activity followed the parallel training sessions. Dr. Lim introduced the graduate programs of the DLSU SOE. He stressed the advantages of earning a graduate degree from the DLSU SOE due to the school’s rich curriculum and linkages. Queries regarding the requirements, fees, and schedule were raised by the participants. DLSU faculty were generous enough to respond to their questions. Dr. Bernadette Gumba, Dean of PSU School of Graduate Studies, delivered her closing remarks in which she thanked DLSU and fellow PSU faculty who worked hard for the event’s success.

The last activity, which was the inception meeting of the Council of Program Heads and Educators of Economics in Region 5, was presided by ES II Iniego. She explained the nature and requirements of organizing the council to the heads and faculty members of universities and colleges with economics programs, namely ADNU, BU, CSU, DEBESMSCAT, LiComCo. And PSU.

PIE Director Rolan Jon Bulao was elected President along with Prof. Erwin Torres of BU, Vice President; Lorelene Calmante of LiComCo, Secretary; Prof. Emmanuel Vito Abejero of ADNU, Treasurer; Emmanuel Preña, Auditor; and Cherrylyn Labayo of BU and Sharmaena Malag of DEBESMSCAT, Business Managers. Ms. Iniego administered the oath-taking of the newly-elected officers.

The lead organizer and master of the ceremony was Prof. Bulao. Attendance and certificates in-charge was BSA core faculty member, Emmanuel Onsay. He was assisted by faculty members from the College of Business and Management and PSU Salogon Campus.